Single Review - Look What You've Done - Jade Helliwell

 

There’s some big things coming in Jade’s world (and one very special small thing!).  Although she released two albums in her younger, formative years, she is now working on what she will consider to be her debut album, the first one since the massive leap in her music career (thanks to a small thing, that became a big thing – that Youtube video!)

In the same week that she reached her kickstarter target, Jade releases her new single Look What You’ve Done. Written in conjunction with Laura Oakes, and produced by Alyssa Bonagura, this is certainly a blend of some real powerhouse women of Country Music, and we are here for that!  A tale of falling for someone despite trying your best not to.  It’s a summer pop song, the melody is sublime, the instrumentation as ever is superb and Jade’s vocal just floats over the top.  The theme is certainly something most people can relate to and it really shows off Jade’s vocal skills.  You can certainly hear the country roots in the song, although its not strictly in that genre – but Jade is all about the performance and blurring the edges, taking inspiration from different sources.

“Born to be on stage” is a over used cliché, but Jade was definitely “determined to be on stage” – in her latest (and hilarious) kickstarter video she tells her story, from school day singing to getting more serious and winning competitions, gaining awards and plaudits along the way.  She’s graced so many festival stages now, and performed alongside some huge names, but she’s not taking any of it for granted – and if you’ve met Jade in person, success has never gone to her head or changed her, she’s still that friendly and approachable lass from Batley.

It feels like the new album marks a new era, but really its another step.  Not even Jade is sure where those steps will take her, but right now she’s just having the time of her life!

With that new album promised, we can’t wait for its arrival and a chance to review it – and we’re looking forward to that other arrival too…do we review new babies?

Look What You’ve Done, the new single from Jade Helliwell is available to pre-save now, and download or stream from Friday 27 June

Find Jade on Facebook and Instagram, and follow her music on Spotify

 

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Single Review - I Am All I Need - Scarlett Whincup

 

The title of the new single from Scarlett Whincup - I Am All I Need – makes a clear statement of the theme of the track.  Taken from her new EP, this is a song about self-empowerment and inner strength

Scarlett explains, 

This song is a reminder that no matter what life throws at us, everything we need is already within us. It’s about choosing yourself — not because you have to, but because you’re worth it.

The song starts with a strong, powerful vocal, backed by subtle guitar which both showcases her voice and sets the tone for the rest of the track.  When the instrumental drops in, the tempo rises, making this a catchy number.  The backing has a traditional country feel but with a modern sound to it.  Having played the clubs around Yorkshire, this whole EP feels like Scarlett coming out to the wider UK Country scene.  As an introduction, it’s a great one!  Scarlett’s music perfectly bridges between trad country and modern, and also acknowledges US Country whilst still being unashamedly UK – and Yorkshire!  All that club experience clearly influences Scarlett’s writing, her songs are not just easy to listen to, but fast enough to dance to – and her love of Country is obvious!

The new single drops on Friday for you to stream or download, and Scarlett will be launching the full EP live at her Band Launch Party ‘Scarlett & her Rednecks’ on May 2nd at The Hop Monkey Music Bar, Dean Clough — as she puts it 

A celebration of resilience, self-belief, and new beginnings.

Scarlett will also be performing at this year’s Pure Country Music and Dance Festival in July which, in it turn, also makes the same connections as Scarlett’s music does, with a mix of music and dancing and this time features a visiting US duo amongst the home-grown talent

I Am All I Need, the new single from Scarlett Whincup is available from Friday 2 May

Find Scarlett on her socials - Facebook, Instagram and Spotify

For more information about Pure Country Music and Dance Festival check their Facebook page

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Single Review - Blue Ridge Road - Matt Hodges

 

Matt Hodges loves to perform music live, in fact he spends most of the year doing it.  If you’ve seen him at one of his many live shows, you may have heard him tell the story of taking a break in America and staying at a cabin for a few days, a side trip that inspired him to write his new song Blue Ridge Road.  The title is the name of the road that took them to that lakeside cabin, and the serenity of the cabin, compared to the frantic energy of Downtown Nashville led to the song.

When you consider Matt’s hectic schedule, its no surprise that he enjoyed a few days off – but the theme throughout the song is “Take me back”, as he sings of the freedom and allowing his thoughts to unload.  On Blue Ridge Road there are no cars, no “people chasing one last thrill”.  Matt is finding peace in nature and seems to have a longing to return to it.

Musically, the song is very restrained, as is Matt’s voice, which is effectively turned down for this track.  There is a yearning in the sound – and it is very reminiscent of Blake Shelton’s “Austin”, which is another song about longing for something you want to return to.  There is one break from the tempo when the song has a guitar break and a slight lift to describe the return to Nashville for a gig – a device which shows the difference between the town and the peaceful mountain view

The songwriting on this occasion appears to be not just heavily influenced by Blake Shelton, but also by American Country Music in general, using American phrasing (and it is of course born from am American road trip).  Could one of the leading voices in UK Country have written the same song from a UK perspective?  Maybe Matt’s next songwriting retreat could be to a stone-built cottage in the Yorkshire Dales, escaping the bright lights of Leeds or Sheffield?  Just as Matt has his own voice, we’d love to think that UK Country can have its own style and own voice.  The UK has many points of reference, and there have been UK songs written with a very UK feel.

Could Matt Hodges lead the charge of the new breed of UK Cowboys?  Perhaps sitting round the barbecue rather than the campfire, looking over the Brecon Beacons rather than the Blue Ridge Mountains?

 

We can’t wait to see where he goes next – both musically and physically!

Blue Ridge Road, the new single from Matt Hodges is available to download and stream from Friday 16 August

You can find Matt on the road and on Facebook and Instagram - and you can follow him on Spotify

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Festival Round Up - Pure Country Music and Dance Festival - Squires Cafe Yorkshire

 

“Its not my first rodeo” is an expression often used by people, but for the Pure Country MDF it sort of was.  Only “sort of” because although the team behind it are very experienced, this was their first time coming together to organise and run a weekend festival.  The team consisted of Kriss and Steve of Country 2 Western and Nashville Sessions, who are not only regular faces at many festivals, but also radio presenters and local promoters, and Alex Wise, a Leeds based line dance teacher and DJ.  We at Silverball Country were thrilled to be asked to join them – and the rest of the “ranch hands” (as the team were known) to bring our own events experience and to host the main stage across the weekend.

 

There are different styles within Country Music – traditional country, old Country, 90s/Bro country and modern country, to name but a few – and even in the UK scene there are some differences with the line dancers, the traditionalists and the modern.  Pure Country aimed to bring all of these together in one place – and they did so very well!  With a variety of acts across the four days there really was something for everyone.

Live music was punctuated by line dance teaching, the dance floors were full most of the time, and outside there was even a chance to try out horseshoe tossing and quick draw.

 

As well as the music there were traders in the Ranch Village, and each day saw a raffle to raise money for two very worthwhile charities – BrainKind and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

 

Kicking off on Thursday night with a nod to American Independence Day, Sam Marshall took the stage interspersed with Country Karaoke – or “Countryoke” as we renamed it.  With the room decked out with flags, props and the Dutton men plus Rip and Forrie from TV’s Yellowstone and the attendees decked out in Red White and Blue, it showed what was to come for the rest of the festival.

Friday morning saw the main part of the festival begin, with one of our finds of the festival – The Arkut Brothers.  New to the Country Scene they sang and played as though they had been country forever, with voices to match!  They play together and harmonise perfectly – perhaps it’s a brother thing!  Ellen Roy, Georgia Barker and Martin Boyd played through the afternoon, with Georgia and Martin also appearing on the acoustic stage outside, before the break to set up for the evening.  A familiar face around the Yorkshire circuit and a festival organiser herself Zenne played two sets before headliners Badlands took to the stage.  A band formed around a dad and his two daughters (one on lead guitar, one on sound) Badlands absolutely rocked out with a mix of songs taken from across the decades.  An encore was inevitable, it started with a Mona Conga – and the first conga we’ve seen with a guitarist taking part while still playing!

 

Saturday started early – for those already up and about there was line dancing in the main room before the live acts for the day.  Favourites from the club circuit Tanya Turner and Darren Knight kept everyone dancing while new band Po Po and the Fogies split their time between the main stage and the acoustic.  Also on the acoustic stage was our second find of the festival – Wirral based singer Tom Hodge who made the most of the sunshine, impressing everyone who heard him – definitely a name to remember and deep, southern vocals to remember too!

The Dolby Gang were the last act before the afternoon break allowed some to take in a football match while the stage was re-set for the evening.  After sound checking our headliner, Chris Raddings warmed everybody up with a very well received split set.  A short break for the raffle – which was generously supported all weekend – and a prize draw for tickets to next year’s festival and it was time for Stevie O’Connor and his band.  An absolute force of nature, Stevie suggested that nobody would need seats for his set – and he was right.  Absolutely exploding with energy, the Silverball Country Entertainer of the Year winner had the dancefloor full for the whole time he played.

Two full days, two big headline shows – and it still wasn’t over!

Sunday morning saw the whole festival move outside to the acoustic stage, this time with rows of seating!  Sam Marshall once again started us off with Alex Wise keeping us going until the arrival of Luke Flear, who only had a short drive from a neighbouring village!  Appearing at festivals all summer, Luke played a perfectly pitched set for a Sunday morning, showing his range of skills – guitar, keyboards, crowd interaction and winning personality.  The set really was the ideal way to round off this inaugural festival.

There is a need for the big festivals – but big festivals start from small ones, and we love to see them grow.  Even a mostly local event (for artists as well as “ranchers”) can attract people and acts from all over the scene and show that country music is for everyone – whether you’re a line dancer or not!  The Pure Country Music and Dance festival is pure in its approach – inclusivity and country music values

 

It may have been the first Pure Country Festival but we know it will not be the last – next year’s is already being planned.

 

With the strong start and excellent support, why not join us next year?  The dates are 3 – 6 July, and you can book via the Facebook page or by emailing purecountry.mdf@gmail.com.  

More details on the website

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Gig Review - Jade Helliwell - Sunflower Lounge Birmingham

Jade Helliwell has quite a backstory that seemingly everybody knows, but not everybody knows the backstory before the backstory!  Despite gaining almost instant fame from the 2017 viral video (23 million views and counting) Jade was in fact already recording and releasing music, the video was just a leg up, the additional exposure she needed.  With this in mind, it was great to see that Jade chose to give the same chance to other artists on her Heroes and Heroines headline tour, inviting artists to submit a video of them covering one of Jade’s songs with a chance to open the show at one of the six dates across the UK.

We went to the second night of the tour – which opened in Manchester – at the Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham city centre.  An intimate venue, the performance space is downstairs, evoking old school club vibes, the perfect place to watch upcoming artists, and being able to say “I was there”.  The whole crowd can say “I was there” for Jades (surprisingly) first ever headline show in Birmingham, although she has played the city previously as part of other shows.

 

Opening at both the Birmingham and Manchester shows was Staffordshire  singer/songwriter Emily Lockett, whose video submission had hugely impressed Jade and her team.  If there were any pre-show nerves they didn’t show on stage as Emily played a selection of her own material, sharing some stories behind them, including the song that was apparently inspired by a Tik Tok video about a newspaper crush column – “Don’t judge me” added Emily, which is typical of her disarming charm when addressing the crowd.  Emily filled her 20 minutes with songs and stories, and no doubt winning some new fans along the way.

 

Support for the whole tour comes from Brighton based Gina Larner.  Taking to the stage with just her guitar (and some fabulous boots!) Gina gave a stunning performance, backed – as she put it – by some new toys in the form of backing instrumentals and vocals, so that the lone singer on stage was giving an almost full band performance!  Gina has been working hard this year having had her own headline shows and is now on her second support tour in a matter of months!  Despite this gruelling schedule she was full of energy on stage and is clearly really enjoying herself touring with Jade!

 

Jade came to the stage looking every inch the seasoned performer, in a bright and sparkling outfit – demonstrating her collaboration with official fashion partner The Bluebird Boutique.  The opening song grabbed everyone’s attention – the very fitting, anthemic Woman I Am.  The familiar band line up (Luke Thomas, Phil Donnelly and Luke Barrett) had a surprising addition – Laura Oakes has joined the tour on acoustic guitar and backing vocals.  This welcome addition maybe due to Laura writing one of the songs on the set list, but equally might be due to her recent marriage to drummer Luke!

Not only did Jade treat us to her well-known songs – Drive, Smoke and award-winning Boom Tick, but we also heard some earlier, very country songs!

The band left the stage, with just Laura Oakes remaining to accompany Jade on acoustic guitar for the plaintive Telephone before Jade gave her solo rendition of Numb/How Love Goes.

Reminding us that the tour is about Heroes and Heroines Jade was rejoined by Phil Donnelly taking over the acoustic guitar duties for a heartfelt tribute to two musical heroines – Judy Garland and Eva Cassidy with Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

After a few more songs with the band the show was all too soon at its end.  No fake encores from Jade, and only one choice to close – a stunning rendition of the titular Heroes and Heroines brought down the curtain on a first – but surely not last – Birmingham headline show.  Jade is not only a great songwriter and musician but a polished and seasoned performer, always putting on an entertaining and energetic show.

Over to Jade for her own take on the tour:

The tours going really well, we’re only two nights in and I’m looking forward to the rest of the dates and ending in my home town of Leeds

 

Jade Helliwell is on tour around the UK with tickets still available for some shows – check her website for details. 

 Silverball Country attended Heroes and Heroines at the Sunflower Lounge  as guests of 

Jade Helliwell and ZimagineD Artist Management

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Gig Review - Nashville Sounds In The Round - Birmingham Symphony Hall August 2023

 

And so to the beautiful Symphony Hall Birmingham on a Saturday morning for the latest episode of Nashville Sounds In The Round.   The popular songwriters round started in 2017 as a collaboration between hosts Gasoline and Matches and curator Dan Wharton of Your Life In A Song.  Since then it has moved on from its first home in the intimate Kitchen Garden Café , replicating the feel of the Bluebird Café in Nashville – as well as its capacity of roughly 60.

As the show has grown it has moved to its new home in rather grander surroundings at the Symphony Hall in partnership with B:Music, the charity who run the Symphony Hall and Town Hall in Birmingham.  Normally setting up in the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space the increase in capacity was very much needed for this show with the audience well in to triple figures.

The show is hosted by the familiar faces of local artists Sally and Stephen, and their guests range from unsigned artists to touring acts, especially in festival season – and this year it even took to the road with a special event on the paddock stage at Buckle and Boots festival.

While the format remains the same, the ever changing line up means that no two shows are the same, as every writers round is affected by the interaction between performers as well as with the crowd which ensures that even a regular event stays fresh.

The line up this month was three relatively new acts who are all making quite an impact on the UK Country scene, and who all played at Buckle and Boots this year.  For us it is an extra treat to be able to sit and listen to acts that we may have missed while working at the festival, as well as hearing them talk about their songs and tell their stories.

 

Robyn Red is a familiar face to us now, having hosted her on the paddock stage as well as seeing her perform at Country In The Afternoon and Country on the Clyde.  With her trademark red hat (now available to buy from the merch stand – great idea Robyn’s mum!) Robyn is hard to miss!  When she talks between songs Robyn displays a disarming charm, although she still sounds very quiet and nervous when speaking, but the moment she starts singing it is almost a different Robyn with her powerful vocal! Singing clearly releases her confidence and in orchestrating audience participation, encouraged by her facial expressions her stage presence belies her age.  Still only 18, her songwriting tells her life as seen through a teenager’s eyes, including a story of her friend drunk at a party!  Its honest, it’s hilarious and it is beautifully delivered!

In his first year on the UK Country scene, Luke Flear is having a blast!  Having met him on Thursday night at Buckle and Boots and then seeing him on and off during the weekend we saw the personal side to him, keen to make the most of his opportunities and keen to be a part of the festival, including helping out with keyboard for a songwriters round.  21 year old Luke was brought up on music (mostly rock) and was bought a drum kit when he was only 5/6 years old.  Noise complaints took him from drums to piano (self taught) to guitar (self taught) and now to stages!  He carried his keyboard all the way up to the performance space only to be told he could use the Steinway grand piano – and use it he did!  Luke seemed so at home on such a beautiful instrument and his songs did it justice.  Luke’s songwriting comes from personal experiences, including a touching tribute (Tattoo) to his brother’s friend who lost his life recently to a song inspired by his girlfriend wearing Tassels and Flares, and his voice has a raw, country edge to it.

photo courtesy of Nashville Sounds In The Round

The third of the guests was MattHodges who owned the main stage at Buckle and Boots performing with the Country Orchestra.  On that night he looked and sounded every inch a Country star, as he did again in Birmingham.  A hard working musician he performed at 311 gigs last year, travelling 87,000 miles in the process.  He has realised that the best way to placate his partner when he is way so much is to write her a song and buy presents!  With a friendly Yorkshire charm and a deep booming voice Matt is funny and entertaining, as well as a joy to listen to, with songs including a reply to “my boyfriend cheated” type songs and his forthcoming single inspired by a cocktail menu!

The three guests had all travelled quite a distance to perform, Robyn from Glasgow and Luke and Matt from Yorkshire – Leeds and Wakefield respectively – as had some of the crowd.  There were familiar faces dotted around from both the north and the south, as well as a couple of other performers – Leanne Brumfitt and Sarah Riches both enjoying the show.

photo courtesy of Nashville Sounds In The Round

Our hosts Gasoline andMatches as ever held the show together with ease, introducing the guests, playing along with them and of course telling their own stories and performing their own songs. Their latest single – Patient Wolves - was held over to the second half “To make sure you all stay” and of course there was some talk of the Crooked House fire and the media circus around it.  Some people did notice the fire engines outside the building, but we were assured it was just coincidence!  Sally and Stephen have such a wide catalogue of songs they can pick and choose the set list for each show, opening this time with their first release Fools Gold and including their excellent last single Afraid To Fall.  It is a joy to hear that they sound just as good whether as an acoustic duo, full band or in a studio.

 

Nashville Sounds In The Round goes from strength to strength, showcasing independent artists and showing that there is a definite country scene in Birmingham.  The next show is a weekday lunchtime show on 6 September – and its free!  The line up includes Neeve Zahra, Eleri and Emily Lockett, hosted by Sally!

More details of this and future shows can be found on the B:Music website

Silverball Country attended Nashville Sounds in the Round as guests of Gasoline and Matches and B:Music

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Single Review - God's Own Country - Sam Turner

 

There are many reasons why Yorkshire is called God’s Own Country, and in his new single Sam Turner lists many of them!  It would take an album to list all of them, but Sam has done well to squeeze the highlights into just under three and a half minutes of boasting about his birthplace!

 

With just his vocals and a guitar Sam presents us with a folk/country crossover with a definite nod to the songwriters of modern English folk – think Kate Rusby and Village Green Preservation Society – with a country leaning guitar style.  His debut single was more pop country with a rocky edge, so it is safe to say that Sam is not only finding his style but is adaptable with his singing.  The clever song writing and uplifting style is ever present.  Sam writes songs that you will sing along to, and smile as you do.

 

With a list of Yorkshires musical greats - The Human League, Pulp, and the Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and The Housemartins, plus Festivals, historical  successes and Yorkshire Tea Sam is obviously a proud Yorkshireman, but his real love is clearly the scenery and especially Flamborough Head where he shot a video for the song.  In fact the final chorus reflects that everlasting love as he says

“Take me Flamborough where the white cliffs meet the sea

Throw me in the air and let me scatter in the breeze

Say your last goodbyes, then let me rest in peace”

 

If Sam keeps up this level of song writing, his well deserved success will surely see him included on future lists of Yorkshire’s finest.  And as they say in Yorkshire

That’ll do

God's Own Country, the new single from Sam Turner is available to download and stream now

You can find and follow Sam on Facebook, Instagram,  and on Spotify